Enjoy the Silence
by ForcePassioneAndKibou
Summary: It's Valentine's Day in Naples.


It was just after early morning and Dio was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. Giorno sat at the small, rectangular table situated near the counter bordering the kitchen. Swinging his legs as he waited blue eyes peered around the room settling on the calender hanging on the wall nearby. The child squinted his eyes attempting to comprehend was month was printed on the top. Febbraio...February.

Smiling at his success, Giorno continued looking at the dates noticing how one in particular was decorated in red possibly indicating a holiday. He easily became absorbed in trying to read what holiday was posted there. It was on the fourteenth day of the month.

Dio turned around after putting Giorno's finished breakfast on a plate and, picking up a glass of milk he had poured beforehand, walked over to place it in front of him. Noticing his son staring intently at the calender he looked over at it. That was when he realized what day it was.

"_La Festa Degli Innamorati_," Dio said drawing back Giorno's attention. "It is Saint Valentine's Day today."

"Saint Valentine's Day?"

"A holiday celebrating love," he explained gesturing at the plate of food. Giorno took the cue picking up his fork and beginning to eat while still pondering questions.

"Can we do that?"

"Do what exactly? Remember, drink your milk." A sip later-

"Celebrate."

"_Hm, hm_ this is more of a holiday for lovers. It is a different kind of love than our's." Giorno looked up at him inquisitively turning his mouth down into a frown.

"It is?" Dio reached over affectionately ruffling his son's fine black hair a smile crossing his face in the process.

"It might be different but I still love you, _GioGio_. My friend is visiting the city, we will go see him tonight and he can tell you all about Valentine's Day. Does that catch your interest?" Giorno nodded and continued eating his breakfast feeling eager at what he would learn.

The sun had set in the west and a chill was settling in the Neapolitan air. The drive to the church would not take long but Dio had no idea how long they would be gone so he decided to bundle Giorno up just slightly. Along with a light jacket his son wore a scarf colored with yellow and blue stripes that would suffice. The vampire carried him easily into the taxi waiting for them at the street, and together they rode to the church where Pucci had been staying.

On exiting the taxi at a street corner Dio noticed people leaving through the large doors meaning mass had just ended. He had timed it just right to get his friend alone. Paying the taxi driver and picking Giorno up Dio slowly made he was over to the cathedral. By the light of the lamp posts the facade of the building was colored yellow and red. A high bell tower reached up into the darkening sky overhead the bell inside remaining silent. Etched over the green doors were the words _Basilica Minore MCMLXXXVIII_. This was the _Basilica santuario di Santa Maria della Neve_.

Walking out onto the steps clad in his ecclesiastical clothing was Pucci thanking people for coming to the evening mass. Upon finding Dio amongst the crowd he weaved through towards him.

"_Buonasera_, my liege," Pucci greeted smiling and glancing up at him with adoring eyes.

"I am merely _tuo amico_ in public, Pucci," replied Dio ignoring the urge to survey the crowd. The vampire was never often in public with his son, but when he was despite how clever of a disguise he had he could not surpress the urge to be partially paranoid.

Pucci bowed his head apologetically and moved his dark gaze over to Giorno who stared back at him with a smile.

"Little Lord, it has been some time since we last met!" He greeted with enthusiasm. The child giggled at the strange nickname replying he wasn't the "Little Lord" Pucci always claimed he was. Satisfied with the greetings the ecclesiastic became serious for the moment turning his head back towards Dio.

"If I may ask, what has brought you here, _mio amico_?"

"This is a friendly visit, as they always are. My son is curious about the origins of St. Valentine's Day."

"I am sure I can supply an answer." Pucci turned his attention to the crowd which had with time's passing thinned out until the entrance was vacant entirely except for a few legitimate priests. "Come inside, it will be a while before the last evening mass."

He led the two inside to the cathedral's central nave. There were three naves each housing many works of art, one being an artistic marble high altar. Dio allowed Pucci to hold Giorno who had been quietly anticipating the lecture. Passing into a deserted nave Pucci spoke softly to the child Dio lingering behind to study the interior architecture more allowing his mind to wonder. It was always intriguing how humans could put so much effort into worship. He had that same power under his thumb...

The sound of approaching footsteps caught back his drifting thoughts. Pucci passed Giorno back into Dio's arms a smile still on his darkly colored face.

"Did you learn much, _GioGio_?"

"_Sì padre_!"

"I am always ready to be of service, Dio," commented Pucci readily.

"I thank you for that," Dio responded with a slight nod of his head. After another brief exchange setting the time for when Pucci was to visit them in the cottage Dio left the cathedral walking down the steps and onto the sidewalk. The temperature had dipped with night's arrival yet there was something he felt he must do before returning home.

Yellow eyes scanned the stores bordering the sidewalk as Dio walked. Giorno snuggled closer to him his small mouth obscured by the scarf.

"Where are we going, _padre_?"

"A store, _GioGio_. We need something before going home."

Giorno returned to silence content to watch where they were going. Dio entered a store his eyes automatically adjusting to the bright flourescent lights. He wandered the aisles until he had found the particular item. Paying for it Dio left, calling a cab and thus they were back at the cottage in a matter of minutes.

Closing the front door Dio set Giorno down removing the child's jacket and scarf. Little blue eyes wandered over to the plastic bag that contained what had been bought. Once everything was settled Dio picked it up removing from the bag a blue box. Opening one end he tapped out of the box a small wrapped candy. Giorno noticed the shape and his eyes grew round and eager.

"What is it, _padre_?"

"_Baci Perugina_. Here, unwrap it carefully like this." Dio knelt down guiding his son's small hands in unwrapping the candy. It was revealed to be a chocolate kind causing a crunch sound when bitten into and it had a very nutty taste. The interesting part was the secret paper message hidden in the wrapper. Giorno attempted to read it as he ate.

The tradition of _Baci Perugina_ had crossed Dio's mind earlier in the day, and he had been careful in not visiting the usual store he went to for groceries. Even though it was a tradition reserved for lovers he could not resist the idea of his son partaking in it.

"Can I have more?" Asked Giorno finished with his chocolate and looking up from the message he had been unable to decipher.

"Tomorrow. Little one, it is time for your bath." The child looked back down at the paper.

"What does it say, _padre_?" Dio leaned over to look at it better.

"_Fato ci ha portato insieme_. Fate brought us together."


End file.
